Launching and Completing an IEP
LAUNCHING NEW FORMS To launch a new form for a student (or to view previously created documents), click the blue FORMS tab. Next, highlight the template and click LAUNCH FORM. Tracker will create a new document in Microsoft Word and open it on your screen. Any information contained in the database for the student will be automatically filled out for you. You can scroll through the pages and with the arrows on the right-hand side and fill in any necessary information. WORKING WITHIN TRACKER FORMS The document will be a “protected” Word Document – this means you are only permitted to type within the gray boxes (form fields). Anything outside of the gray form fields is embedded into the template and will not be able to be altered. Form Fields You will see 3 types of form fields. TAB Keys You can always click directly on a form field to use it – but one technique that may be helpful is to use your TAB keys. TAB – moves from left to right, stopping at each form field (gray box). SHIFT & TAB – moves from right to left (backwards) to return to the prior form field. Zoom Use the zoom % at the top of your screen to zoom in or out on a document. THE TRACKER DROPDOWN MENU Most advanced features in for Tracker forms are located in this Tracker menu. To open the menu, simply click the word Tracker at the top of your screen next to Help. Spell check – checks the spelling on the current document. Find '- allows a user to find word or words in the current form. '''Replace '- allows a user to replace a word(s) with another word(s) in the form. '''Font & Paragraph Controls – Microsoft Word does not permit font or paragraph control in form fields. You must use font control available on the TRACKER menu to change the font in form fields. Insert Text – presents all codes available in The Student Tracker database. Insert Word Document – inserts a word document into a form field. Save Form Field As Code – permits a user to create their own code based on the text in the current form field. 1. Type text in form field 2. Click on Tracker menu 3. Click ‘Save Form Field AS Code‘ 4. Assign a code starting with “zz” (do not place a period when ASSIGNING a code) 5. Click OK Codes may be used on any form by USING a period, the code you assigned, and then press F8 to convert code to text.'' Protection '''– protects or unprotects the current document template so that input can only occur in form fields. '''Toggle Hidden Text- allows a user to see “hidden” text that may be on the current template (Note: Most templates do not have hidden text). Insert- (goal pages) can be used to add additional goal and objective pages if needed. Delete '– permits users to delete specific pages, tables, or rows from the current document. USING THE TRACKER CODE BANK Built into Tracker there is a bank of coded statements you can use to fill out your document. There are 2 ways to open your bank – you can either select ''‘Insert Text’ from the Tracker drop down menu, or you can right click directly on the form field and choose ‘Insert Text’. Your code bank will always open to a table of contents similar to below. You can either navigate through the bank by double-clicking the words, or by clicking the alpha-numeric grid at the top of your bank. Show codes like – you can use this box to filter the codes shown on the screen. (example – type DA in the box and click the “<-Show codes like” button – it will filter your view and only show codes that start with DA – DA0000, DA0100, DA0200, DA0300, etc…) To use a coded statement in your form – click once to highlight and then click Insert to send it to the gray form field. Personal codes can be accessed through this bank only after you go into the Tracker database and choose HELP>SPECIAL EDUCATION>VIEW/PRINT PERSONAL IEP CODES '' DISTRIBUTING GOALS AND OBJECTIVES '' Start in the first form field next to ANNUAL MEASURABLE AND/OR FUNCTIONAL GOAL, and open the code bank by either right-clicking or using the Tracker Menu. To select both Goals and Objectives at the same time – hold your CTRL key as you click on multiple selections. Click the distribute button to fill in the goals and objectives. The Distribute feature will place your first choice into the GOAL form field, the spread out the rest of your choices into the OBJECTIVES form fields. '' USING THE RIGHT-CLICK ON YOUR MOUSE '' Right-clicking on a gray form field will open a menu where there are a few features you can use. Unique Text Districts can store commonly used text for any form field – and access through Unique Text. Insert Text Insert Text opens the Tracker Code Bank. Edit Text Right-Clicking and choosing Edit Text will open the contents of the form field in a new pop-up window. Advanced editing, highlighting, and spell check features are contained in this new pop-up window. Bookmark Name Choosing Bookmark name will show the Bookmark name of a specific form field – useful for template editing. USING UNIQUE TEXT Some districts choose to load gray form fields with canned statements that ONLY apply to that specific form field. To use unique text in these areas – either right-click a gray form field and choose “Unique Text”, or select the form field with your cursor and choose “Unique Text” from the Tracker drop down menu. Highlight the text you want to fill out your gray form field, then click “Insert”. Use the CTRL key on your keyboard to select multiple lines. SAVING TRACKER FORMS To save a form and store it back into the Tracker database – click the Tracker Menu at the top of word next to Help – then choose “Save and Return to Tracker” This will minimize Word and put you back on the Tracker database screen where you will see a number of options. SAVE TO WORKING DOCS 99% of the time you will choose ‘''Save to Working Docs’. ''Once a document is finalized – it can be archived by clicking ''‘Prompt for Archive’. '' RETURNING TO SAVED DOCUMENTS To return to a document saved in Tracker – locate your student then click WORKING DOCS button on the FORMS Tab '' ARCHIVING TRACKER FORMS '' To finalize your document and permanently store it in your Tracker – save it with the Tracker drop down menu and choose ‘Save Prompt for Archive’. Choose YES on the following question to store the IEP to the ARCHIVE DOCS button. This will save your documents and store it in the ARCHIVE DOCS button. Once a document is archive it can still be viewed and printed, but it can no longer be edited. There are a number of benefits to archiving your documents. Tracker has the ability to push data from the IEP back into the database screens during the archiving process. Ask your supervisor or contact Contour Data tech support to check if this feature is turned on in your district. '' LAUNCHING YOUR NEXT IEP '' During the Archiving process, Tracker will store all of the data you've typed into the form fields – and automatically load the same information into the next IEP that is launched. Demographic data on your IEP cover sheet will always come from your Tracker database, never from the archived IEP. NO RECALL Check this box prior to launching a new IEP and Tracker will NOT pull in data from the last archived IEP. Demographic data and data from Special Services 1 and 2 will still fill out your document. REMOVE OLD GOALS Check this box prior to launching a new IEP and Tracker will NOT pull in the Goals and Objectives from the last archived IEP. All other data from you last archived IEP will still fill out your document. 2nd GUARDIAN Check this box prior to launching a new IEP and Tracker will address the document to the 2nd Guardian (from the ‘Other Guardian’ button on the Demographics Tab) instead of the Primary Guardian. '' IMPORTING WEBTRACK TEACHER DATA '' Data entered into WebTrack by teachers can be loaded into an IEP at any time (Either when you open an IEP from working docs – or when launching a new IEP). If there is data in WebTrack for a student, you will be prompted with the following question. Choose “Yes” and Tracker will automatically import teacher data into the appropriate sections of your IEP. Sections of the IEP where the data loads will have 2 gray form fields (PLAAFP, Goals and Objectives, and Modifications). The first is for the Case Manager to type into; the second is set up for Teacher data to load into. VIEWING/EDITING WEBTRACK DATA FROM TRACKER To view or edit WebTrack data directly from Tracker, click the ‘Student’ menu and choose ‘WebTrack Goals’. Double click on the word Memo to view/edit data inside. A capitalized ‘Memo’ indicates there is data inside; lower case ‘memo’ indicates no data. '' CLONING TRACKER FORMS ''' Data entered into an IEP (or any other document) can be transferred to another student’s document using the “Clone” button that appears on the “Forms” tab. Before clicking on the “Clone” button you will need the student ID number of the student you wish to clone FROM. The student ID number appears in the upper right corner of The Student Tracker database. After locating this student ID number, use the following procedures to clone an IEP: ''1. Locate the student you wish to begin working on by using the “Find” button. 2. Click on the form you wish to clone. 3. Click on the “Clone” button. You will be prompted to enter the ID number of the student you are cloning FROM. 4. The form you selected will appear in MS Word. Remember to “clone responsibly”. Cloning is used for students in the same program, in the same class, and for students whose educational program (i.e. goals and objectives, modifications, strategies, etc.) legitimately closely mirror each other. Obviously present levels of educational performance should never be the same for any student. The least restrictive environment statement should also be unique for each student. The definition of “clone responsibly” is to closely review the cloned document to make sure each section is appropriate and personalized to each student. Cloning is not necessary when you are launching a second IEP for the SAME student – Tracker will automatically load a new IEP up with data archived from the last archived IEP. ADMINISTRATOR NOTE: Document cloning is an option that can be turned on or off by the district administrator if he or she feels the practice of document cloning is not appropriate. Select TOOLS menu, DISTRICT SETUP menu item, then select the “System Setup 2” tab. Check the “Permit document cloning” checkbox if you wish to permit cloning. Some districts have created fictitious students with partially completed IEPs. These IEPs are used to “jump start” the IEP process. The district will create a student called “Jane Autistic” and “John Pre-School Disabled”. These two fictitious students have the structure of the IEP as well as generic appropriate content for a student of that eligibility category (some districts do this by placement and/or program). By using this concept, districts can eliminate much of the repetitive work that occurs for all students of that eligibility category. Comment: Contour Data added the clone feature at the request of numerous districts. Using the cloning technique improperly (i.e. not removing or adding information unique and appropriate for each child) defeats the purpose and spirit of an IEP. Individualized Education Plans must be just that, “Individualized”.